Collapsible tube dispenser



Aug. 1, 1939.

w. c. ALLEN COLLAPS I BLE TUBE DI S PENSER Filed Jan. 19, 1939 -4 f `Y 59 'H 19 Alill Patented Aug. l, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,168,080 COLLAPSIBLE TUBE bIsPENsER William C. Allen, Houston, Tex.

Application January 19, 1939, Serial No. 251,831

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to dispensing devices and refers particularly to means for dis- .pensing plastic material such as tooth paste and shaving cream from collapsible tubes. In de- A 5 vices of this character, it is quite common to provide a pressure roller movable longitudinally of the device to squeeze the plastic material from the tube as the latter is collapsed by the roller.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a roller which requires a minimum of eiort to operate. This is accomplished by employing a roller spindle having one or more pinions which mesh with suitable racks to positively rotate the spindle, and a tube engaging roller loosely or freely journalled on the spindle. With this arrangement, the spindle is capable of rotary movement relative to the roller andthe roller is not forced to 'rotate with'the spindle during the tube squeezing operation, thus materially reducing the force necessary to dispense material from the tube.

A further object is the provision of a dispenser of this character having means for accommodating and securely clamping tubes of different sizes in operative dispensing position.

Another object is to provide a detachable valve controlled discharge tting for collapsible tubes which may be easily and quickly applied to a tube and then locked in convenient position in the frame of the dispenser. A

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention will now be more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser showing a partially collapsed tube mounted in dispensing position;

lFigure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral I0 designates generally my dispensing device 'comprising a subs antially rectangular frame having side walls II, and I2 respectively, a rear wall I3. and top and bottom walls I4 and I5. This frame may be constructed in any desired manner. but as shown in the drawing, the top, bottom and side walls are preferably stamped from a single blank of material. After the blank has been shaped to the form shown in the drawing,

the rear wall I3 is secured in position by suitable fastening elements such as the screws I6.

The top wall Il is provided with integral rearll' wardly extending arms I1, each of which terminates in an upwardly extending lug or ear I provided with an opening for receiving a fastening element I9 by which the frame may be secured to a supporting surface such as the wall 20. In like manner, the bottom Wall I5 is pro- 5 vided with a pair of spaced rearwardly extending arms 2 I, each terminating in an apertured lug 22 by which the lower portion of the frame may be secured to the wall 20.

Side wall I2 is provided with a longitudinally :10 extending slot 23 which is in alignment with a slot 24 formed in the side wall II. Each side wall is also extended inwardly to form a iront strip 25 which in turn is bent rearwardly to provide a flange 26 having its free edge shaped to .il form a plurality of teeth and constituting a longitudinally extending rack 21. The racks 21 cooperate and mesh with a pair of spaced pinions 2B rigidly secured to opposite ends of a roller spindle 29. The extreme ends of the spindle-s0 project through the slots 23 and 24, which constitute guides for holding the pinions in mesh with the racks and permit movement of the spindle longitudinally of the frame I0. A collapsible tube engaging roller 30 is loosely or freely-25 mounted on the spindle 29 while an operating handle 3l is rigidly secured to one end of the spindle exteriorly of the frame, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3.

With the construction thus far described, and 30 assuming that a loaded collapsible tube 32 of plastic material, such as tooth paste or shaving cream, is placed in the frame, the contents may be easily and quickly dispensed by operating the handle 3|. This effects a positive rotation of the 35 spindle 28 by reason of the meshing of the pinions 28 with the racks 21. The roller 30, however, being loosely journaled on the spindle is free to rotate relative to the spindle. Thus, under ordinary conditions, movement of the hann dle 3l in a clockwise direction (see Figure l), vwill rotate the spindle in a like direction and move the latter downwardly in the frame. The roller 3|! being freely mounted on the spindle 29 will not be forced to rotate in the same direction as-'igs a spindle, but by reason of itsfrictional contact or engagement with the tube, will normally rotate in a counter-clockwise direction in ellecting a squeezing or pressing action on the tube. With this arrangement, less force is required to squeeze the material from the tube, since the roller is merely carried by and not positively rotated with the spindle.

g The contents of the tube may, or course, be dispensed directly from the threaded opening 33,.-

34 having onel end threaded to receive the threaded end 33 of the tube and provided with an annular groove or recessed portion 35 adjacent its threaded end. In placing the loaded tube into the casing, the discharge fitting 34 is inserted in a forwardly opening slot 36 formed in the bottom wall I5. This slot is embraced by a continuous downwardly extending iiange 31 which is of a width to nt the annular groove 35 and cooperates therewith to maintain the fitting 34 in operative position. At the lower end of the fitting 34 is mounted a valve 35 having a handle 39 for moving the same from open to closed position (see Figure l) 'Ihis valve is pivoted between the spaced walls of a support 4I extending laterally of the fitting, and is provided with straight edge portions 4I adjacent its pivot point 42 which are alternately engagable with the free end of a spring 43. This spring is placed under sumcient tension to maintain the valve in both its open and closed positions. 'Ihe lower end of the fitting is preferably provided with a conical ground portion 44 which cooperates with a ground portion of the valve to form a tight fit when the valve is seated.

In order to accommodate tubes of different sizes and to effectively clamp said tubes in operative position, I provide a pair of clamping plates which cooperate with the rear wall I3 to secure the at end of a tube in the frame. Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2, it will be-observed that the extreme upper end of the rear wall I3 is provided with a stepped or shouldered portion 45. Directly above the rear wall I3 and in substantially the same vertical plane, is mounted a. plate or bar 45. The lower end of this bar is cut away to provide a rearwardly positioned shoulder 41 which cooperates with the shoulder 45 to securely clamp the iiat end 48 of the tube in the frame. The bar 45 is freely movable in the frame by reason of the lugs 43 engaging aligned slots 50 formed in the side walls, in rear of the slots 24 and 25. A second clamping plate 5I is positioned above the bar 45 and is provided with ears 52 also engageable with the slots 50. The lower edge of this plate is provided with a rearwardly positioned shoulder 53 cooperating with a forwardly located shoulder 54 formed in the upper end of the bar 45. To the upper end of the plate 5I is secured a bracket 55 which receives the head 56 of a threaded post 51 and cooperates therewith to form a swivel joint or connection between the post and plate 5I. ''he post 51 passes through a threaded opening 58 in the top wall I4 and has its extreme upper end xed to an operating handle 59.

When it is desired to clamp a small size tube in the dispenser, the handle 59 is operated to move the plate 5I upward suiiiciently to permit a person to slide the lower plate or bar 46 away from the shoulder portion 48 of the rear wall I3. Thereafter, the fiat end of a loaded tube may be easily and quickly positioned in the shoulder 48. 'Ihe bar 46 may then be dropped so that its shoulder 41 engages the tube. Operation of the handle 5l will then move the upper plate 5I down upon the bar 45 until suiilcient pressure has been applied to securely clamp the end of the tube between the wall I3 and the bar.

Assuming that a relatively large size tube is to be inserted in the frame, the bar 46 is moved to its lowermost position whereby the shouldered portions 41 and 48 are in direct contact. The handle 55 is operated to raisethe upper plate 5I to allow suicient clearance for the reception of the dat end of the tube between the shouldered ,but I prefer to utilize a valve discharge iitting portions 53 and 54. By reversing the rotation of the handle 59, the plate 5| will then be moved downwardly into engagement with the end oi the tube whereby the same is effectively clamped between the bar and plate.

It is to be understood that the bar 45 and plate 5I may be increased in size to take care of existing conditions. Furthermore, two or more bars may be provided, if desired, to take carel of agreater variety of tubes. In the present manufacture of tooth paste and shaving cream, there are standard small and large size tubes and the present clamping arrangement is designed to accommodate these large and small tubes.

It will be observed that the top portions of the strips 25 are secured to a downwardly extending iiange 55, by means of suitable fastening elements 6I. These fastening elements are preferably'extended outwardly to constitute pegs in order that tooth brushes or other toilet articles may be conveniently hung or supported on the frame.

If desired, a cover or door (not shown) may be hinged to the front of the frame for the purpose of excluding dust and other foreign matter from the interior of the casing. This cover and the rest of the frame may be decorated in any suitable manner. It is to be further understood that such variations from the construction herein shown and described as are within the skill of a mechanic may, of course, be made without departing from the range of my invention.

I claim:

l. In a dispensing device of the class described, a frame for holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame including a pair of spaced side walls and a rear wall extending between and non-movably connected to the side walls, means for clamping a tube in the frame comprising a plate slidably mounted between the side walls and in substantially the plane of the rear wall, and means for moving said plate into and out of operative engagement with the rear wall whereby the end of a collapsible'tube may be clamped between the plate and wall.

2. In a dispensing device of the class described, a frame for holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame including aA pair of spaced side walls and a rear wall extending between and non-movably connected to the side walls, one end of the rear wall terminating short of the ends of the side walls and said side walls being provided with aligned slots, a clamping plate slidable in said slots to and from the end of the rear wall, and means for moving said plate into and out of clamping engagement with the rear wall whereby the flat end of a collapsible tube may be clamped between the plate and wall.

3. In a dispensing device of the class described, a frame for holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame including a pair of spaced side walls and a rear wall extending between and non-movably connected to the side walls, one end of the rear wall terminating short of the ends of the side walls and provided with a shoulder cut out of its front face, a clamping plate slidably mounted between the side walls and provided at one end with a shoulder cut out of its rear face and adapted to cooperate with the first mentioned shoulder to clamp the flat end of a collapsible tube in the frame, and means for moving said plate into and out of tube clamping po sition.

4. In a dispensing device ofthe class described. a frame for holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame including a pair of spaced side walls and a rear wall extending between and non-movably connected to the side walls, means for clamping tubes of different lengths in said frame comprising a plate freely slidable to and from one end of the rear wall, a second plate slidable to and from the rst plate, and means connected to the second plate for moving the latter into tube clamping engagement with the rst plate and the rst plate into tube clamping engagement with the rear wall.

5. In a dispensing device of the class described, a frame for holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame including a pair of spaced side walls and a rear wall extending between and non-movably connected to the side walls, one end of thesrear wall terminating short of the ends of the side walls and said side walls being provided with aligned slots, a clamping plate freely slidable in said slots to and from the end of the rear wall, a second plate slidable in said slots to and from the rst plate, and means connected to the'second plate for moving the latter into tube 'clamping engagement with the rst plate and the ilrst plate into tube clamping engagement with the end of the rear wall whereby tubes of diierent lengths may be detachably clamped in the frame.

6. In a dispensing device of the class described, a frame for holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame including a pair of spaced side wal1s,.a rear wall extending between and non-movably connected to the side wall, and an end wall having a threaded opening therethrough, means for clamping a tube in the frame comprising a plate slidably mounted between the side walls and in substantially the plane of the rear wall, and a threaded post passing through the opening in the end wall and having its inner end swivelled to said plate whereby rotation of the post will move the plate into and out of clamping engagement with said rear wall.

7. In a. dispensing device of the class described, thecomblnation of a rectangular trame having a substantially open front for the reception of a loaded collapsible tube, the bottom wall of said frame having a rearwardly extending cutaway portion forming an open slot for receiving a discharge fitting, a collapsible tube tting into said frame, and a discharge tting detachably secured to said tube and provided with a grooved collar engaging the slot, said fitting having a valved portion projecting below the-bottom wall in position to dispense material as the tube is collapsed.

8. In a dispensing device'of the class described, a substantially rectangular frame for receiving and holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame having a rear wall, a pair of spaced side walls provided with longitudinally extending aligned slots, a pair of spaced front strips each extending inwardly from a side wall, at least one of said strips having a rearwardly extending iiange, the rear edge of which is provided with teeth forming a longitudinally extending rack facing the rear wall, a roller spindle having one end engaging one slot and the other end projecting through the other slot, a pinion xed to said spindle and meshing with said rack, a handle fixed to the projecting end of the spindle exteriorly of the frame, and a tube engaging roller mounted on the spindle and adapted to be brought intocontact with a loaded tube for dispensing the contents of the tube.

9. In a dispensing device of the class described, a substantially rectangular frame for receiving and holding a loaded collapsible tube in position to allow material to be dispensed from the tube, said frame having a rear wall, a pair of spaced side walls provided with longitudinally extending aligned slots, a pair of spaced front strips each extending inwardly from a side wall, each of said strips having a rearwardly extending Bange, the rear edgeof which is provided with teeth forming a longitudinally extending rack facing the rear wall, a roller spindle having one end engaging one slot and the other end projecting through the other slot, a. pair of pinions iixed to opposite ends of the spindle and meshing with said racks, a handle iixed to the projecting end of the spindle exteriorly of the iiange, and a tube engaging roller mounted on the spindle and adapted to be brought into contact with a loaded tube for dispensing the contents of the tube. A

WIILIAM C. ALLEN. 

